How to Recognize Depression

According to Dr. Stephen S. Illardi, one in every four Americans—over 70 million people—will struggle with major depression at some point in their lives. If you want to live a healthy life, you need to learn how to recognize (and fight) depression when it hits.

In this interview, Taryn Aiken Hiatt, a Utah Board Member of AFSP, shares some thoughts on how she recognizes depression and suggests ways to fight back.

Click HERE to learn more about the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

You know, the thing I think with depression that's so interesting is a lot of times, we don't even recognize it in ourselves as starting. I mean, once you've lived with it for a while—like, I now know, kind of, when it's starting again and I can recognize behavior. But oftentimes, it takes somebody else recognizing it and saying: "Hey, you know, do you realize what you're doing?"

But I think the things I've learned, in at least in my own life, is when I start, you know, losing that drive and not having the interest in things or—and for me, the immediate is just the dark thoughts, it's the negativity, it's the, you know, that feeding frenzy that starts in my brain and I have to start talking to somebody.

You know, I still see a therapist. I've seen him for 25 years and, and that's what I need to get in. For me, my depression needs to be spoken about. I have to let someone else in, as to why. And then start looking at what in my life is maybe contributing to me feeling overwhelmed.

And then start doing things to take care of myself, you know? I think a lot of times I feel overwhelmed and depressed, it's because I'm not doing the stuff that helps my brain have a break. Maybe I have too much that I'm trying to do in my life, or I'm just not spending time with me, or being quiet, or going for a drive, or you know, listening to music that I like. I just find that it's when I'm lacking in my own self-care it tends to really come on and I just have to be aware, and know that hey, it's okay. This too shall pass, because it always does.

I always think of it like my brain has a cold and it just means I need some time to either: one—sometimes, I get back on medication, not always. But I always have to do something with those thoughts, I have to learn the tool and the skill so that those thoughts don't become my reality. Because just because I think it doesn't mean I have to do anything with it. You know, it's a thought and a feeling. It changes and it passes. But it usually helps me to communicate it and tell somebody else.